Free Like Their Art
by Invincible Shadow
Summary: Dei was her companion, and her best friend. But when Akatsuki comes to take him away, and Konoha her, they are separated. Desperate to find him again, she tries everything she knows, but only manages to get tangled with Konoha's business and its people.


_**BOOM!**_

Colourful sparks and flames were raging cheerfully below them. Trees and ground alike exploded into miniature pieces under the force of the explosion.

A lone figure flying high up in the air regarded the site before her with a calculating gaze.

"My, my, Dei-kun," the person spoke in a playful tone. "I fear you're losing your touch. The last one almost missed the target."

"You over there, shut it, and concentrate on doing your own job, un." Her blonde companion responded, scowling slightly.

"Aw. Too bad, I already finished."

"You sure? No one's going to see anything they weren't meant to see?"

Now it was the girl's turn to scowl. "Are you suggesting that my illusions aren't trustworthy? 'Cause seriously, that's not cool."

"Pfft. You speak as if they're perfect, yeah."

The girl's scowl deepened. "Of course they are. After being a pyro assassin-for-hire for the better part of your childhood, you learn that perfection is the only way to survival."

"Un. There is no such thing as _true_ perfection. Plus, life is fleeting. You of all people should know that, yeah."

"But I _do_ know that. It's just that I would want to see something _more_ than just the plain, earth-based landscape of Iwagakure before I die. I mean, the designs of the buildings here are just _pathetic_."

"I agree, un. Whoever designed them wasn't very artistic, yeah. Makes me wanna puke, un."

"Ew. Too much information, Dei-kun."

"What, afraid I'll puke on _you_? Didn't know you were such a _girl_, Akira-_**hime**_." The blonde teased.

Akira glared. "You better shut your mouth, or I'll cut you into pieces, limb by limb, starting with your favourite one." She threatened.

Deidara's hands discreetly moved to cover his crotch, before the temperamental girl next to him decided to carry out her threat. He gulped. Akira could be scary if she wanted to.

"Anyway," she continued all traces of her previous behaviour gone. "I think that is enough. There is no need to keep scouting. Our target is already dead."

Deidara quirked an eyebrow. "And how do you know that, yeah?"

The light-haired girl grinned, and moved the soft tresses which covered her left eye to the side, revealing a scope which covered her eye completely. She grinned. "That's how."

Deidara scoffed. "Show off, un."

"Oh come off it, Dei! You've been behaving like a PMSing chick for the entire morning! Just drop it already, or tell me what the hell is bothering you!"

Deidara bit his lip. That's when the first bells started going off in Akira's head – Deidara was the most straight-forward person she knew. He never held stuff back, especially not from her.

"Aki-chan… Have you ever heard of the Akatsuki?"

Hearing the childish nickname after so long took her off guard. But it was what came after it that she liked even less. Akira hated not knowing. Without getting technical, not knowing about something, no matter its importance, could increase your chance of survival. There was something else that nagged at the back of her mind, but being unable to pin-point the feeling, she pushed it away.

"The red dawn?" she mused. "No. never heard of it. Should I know about it?" she asked carefully.

"No. Nope. Not at all." Deidara replied hastily. "Forget I said anything."

But she wouldn't forget. Something was wrong. Deidara could lie to himself, fool others to a T, but he couldn't fool her. Akira knew him better than he knew himself.

He'd forgotten his '_un'_.

..

After landing and collecting their bounty, the duo retreated to their hideout. It was an abandoned temple, but it gave them shelter from the unforgiving sun and a place to rest. While they walked, Akira took in Deidara's features, like she'd done so many times before.

His long, soft blonde hair danced in the small evening breeze, and the cerulean eyes always sparkled with mischief and happiness. Especially, she mused, when he was able to show off his art.

His clothing was plain, but practical, and the two clay pouches on his hips provided the material for his creations. Of course, he also had the standard ninja gear of kunai and the like, as he'd proved when a fight was starting to get out of hand.

Deidara was her best and closest friend. Losing him would be like losing everything she held dear – _**unbearable**_.

Unbeknownst to her, her companion had been doing the same, quietly taking in all she had to offer.  
She was an anomaly, with her soft white hair, dazzling green eyes and pale skin. The epitome of innocence; with the delicate, doll-like features and pastel-coloured clothing. Her short-sleeved white shirt, loose khaki Capri pants and fingerless gloves were simple, but Akira had never been one for style and fashion.

By being so absorbed in each other, they weren't looking where they were going, but that made them more aware of their surroundings. That's why they immediately sensed the three foreign chakra signatures when they stepped foot in the temple.

"Deidara?" Akira asked. Something was odd.

"Let's go check it out, yeah? Maybe we're just imagining things." He managed a nervous laugh at the end, but it didn't convince either of them and he knew.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Just please don't do anything… rash."

"Sure, Aki. Stop worrying."

They walked in.

…

Three figures stood before them, each clad in the same cloak. Red clouds against a black background.

"You know why we're here." The one on the left spoke quietly. Akira's stomach flipped. This was just a kid! No way was that boy an adult, his voice was too soft. He couldn't have been much older than her, maybe thirteen. "You shall join the Akatsuki."

"Akatsuki!" Deidara scoffed. "Why should I care? You're just interfering with my affinity for art!"

"Dei, please." Akira whispered, tone begging. She didn't like the blue guy's chakra. It felt _hungry_.

The trio appeared to be having a private conversation, no doubt regarding what Deidara had just said. Akira caught the words '_leader'_, '_orders'_ and '_abilities'_ from the boy. Deidara must have heard more as his eyes widened.

"You know of my abilities?" he asked curiously. Then worryingly. "Who… are you?"

"You're a bomb terrorist who's involved with anti-government organizations in multiple countries. Your preferred partner is the… child next to you."

Akira's blood ran cold. Not only was he attempting to recruit Deidara. He just _had_ to insult her height.

"What purpose does that hold for someone like you?" the raven inquired tonelessly. Akira had the sneaking suspicion that he was drawing things out, almost stalling, and giving Deidara a false sense of confidence.

_Dei, please, ignore him, don't answer, just get out of here-!_

"Purpose? There is no purpose." Deidara replied. "We just blow stuff up when people ask us to, using our creations." Akira felt a bit better at the 'We'. Good Deidara still remembered.

"Creations?" the shortest, bulky member echoed.

"That's right." Deidara grinned. He then proceeded to go into his monologue of 'my art is the greatest it explodes it's cool bow down before its awesomeness blah', which Akira was thankful for as it gave her time to think.

Why would an organisation want to recruit an eleven-year-old boy who blows shit up for fun? That was the main question, but one which Akira unfortunately didn't have time to ponder, as Deidara had already finished his speech and was waiting for a response.

He didn't get a verbal one, but the black-haired kid had moved. He blinked, and the previously calm onyx eyes disappeared, revealing swirling crimson instead.

Akira gasped, the tell-tale chakra surge of a genjutsu rippling through the air.

"Kai!" she called out. The genjutsu wasn't meant for her, that much was clear since it was _**too**_ easy to break its hold on her. It was meant for Deidara. And he fell right into its trap.

Her gaze turned to the trio still standing in the same place, though it seemed they were moving in Deidara's mind, since the insults spewing out of his mouth.

But why would someone like Uchiha Itachi go through all the trouble of even attempting a genjutsu, if he could've easily just tied Deidara up within a blink of an eye?

Unless… oh. Fuck. No way.

"You honourless bastard." She hissed venomously. "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"

The blue man chuckled roughly. "Harsh words for someone so young. Care to back them up?" he challenged mercilessly.

Akira jumped over to Deidara just before he activated the massive caterpillar wrapped around him. "Genjutsu Disruption Jutsu!" she channelled her own chakra into his, successfully breaking the genjutsu's hold.

"N-Ne? Aki-chan? What's wrong?"

_**SLAP!**_

"I told you not to do anything rash, you baka! And here you are, trapped in a genjutsu and about to blow yourself to bits with your own jutsu!"

"E-eh? Genjutsu?"

"You think the guy has enough dignity to fight you one on one? He's an _**Uchiha**_, Dei. The one that turned on his entire clan."

"What the…?"

"Stay here and don't move." She ordered. "I need to check something."

She turned back to the three Akatsuki. "Are you satisfied? Leave us alone. We have no desire in joining your organization."

"Heh. Like you have a choice." Kisame snorted. "That was a neat trick there, the one you used to get your little boyfriend out of Itachi-san's genjutsu. And here I thought you were just little ."

"No ninja can afford to rely on only one technique." Akira replied coldly. "My preferences are Earth based jutsu, but I know my fair share of genjutsu." She was lying through her teeth now, and she knew it. Sure, Deidara relied on her to mask their tracks with her genjutsu but it was nothing special – just a few False Surroundings techniques and some that screwed with the senses. Basic.

"Kisame. We don't have time for fooling around." The Uchiha spoke. He turned to face the shell-shocked Deidara. "You lost."

"Like hell!" Akira yelled. She jumped forward, flipping over the shortest member and attacked with a sweeping kick. Itachi dodged easily, eyes boring into her face, waiting for her to look up. But Akira wasn't stupid. She realised what happened to Deidara and had no desire to go through it herself.

_**No one**_ can take away her Onii-san. Not Itachi Uchiha. Not Akatsuki. NO ONE.

Taking out her own clay, she quickly threw them at Itachi's feet. "Katsu!"

When the smoke cleared, he came out unscathed. Rage boiled in Akira's veins. She had to win. She would never forgive herself if they took away Deidara.

"Aki-chan! Watch out!" she heard Deidara's panicked warning, but it was too late. Cold metal snaked around her neck, preventing her movement. She heard more than felt a shape settle behind her.

A deep chuckle reached her ears, just as the metal object around her neck twisted and rose to her eye-level.

_A metal scorpion's tail?_

"Such exotic beauty, and unbending loyalty." The deep voice spoke. Due to her short height, the figure was speaking directly into her ear. "You'd have been a fine puppet. Pity that leader only ordered us to retrieve your little friend. But that doesn't mean I can't play with you."

Alarm bells started going off in her head when the tip of the tail neared her temple. She shut her eyes, already knowing what was coming. White hot pain erupted in her veins when the tip dug into her skin. She felt it drag all the way from her right eye, bridge of her nose, and over the left eye lid. Warm liquid dribbled down her face, the copper-like smell invading her nostrils. She was blinded, both figuratively and literally. The light-haired girl collapsed to her knees, unable to keep herself upright by the sheer agony of the wound.

"AKIRA!" Deidara's desparate yell caught her attention. She forced her eye open, barely able to see anything due to the streams of crimson obscuring her view. But what she did see made her blood run cold. Deidara, being dragged by the blue man who had his arms under Deidara's armpits, hauling him away.

_No!_

In a last, desperate attempt to get close to her friend, she used the remains of her chakra to send a small, clay butterfly to him. She was relieved to see that the Akatsuki didn't attempt to intercept her gift.

_I will find you, Dei. And I'll kill those that dared take you away from me._

Darkness overtook her vision.

_.._

Days passed. Akira became a mere shadow of her old self. No longer the happy, smiling girl she was with Deidara. Cold, silent as a grave and uncaring. She'd wept the first night, when she'd tied the bandage around her eyes to stop the bleeding and packed what little she owned. She left the temple in a hurry, eager to get away from the memories. No luck.

Even the villagers started to notice, if the discreet smiles and free products she got from the shop-keepers and townspeople meant anything. They certainly knew that Deidara was gone, but none of the realised why he wasn't with his little companion.

Currently, Akira was leaning against a tree trunk, thankful for its shade and security. Up in the branches meant away from the prying eyes of the civilians that wanted to know why their _dear, dear Akira-chan_ was so upset.

A few days ago Akira had ventured to town, to replenish her pocky stock. If Deidara was gone, the sugary sweets were all that kept her from curling in a tight ball and never, ever getting up. On the way she'd stumbled into a hairdresser's saloon, and the woman had immediately ushered her into a seat. Akira chuckled humourlessly when she remembered the woman's shock when she uncovered her eyes. The pretty green orbs now had a pale scar running along them. The hairdresser tutted at her and mumbled something like '_so young and already scarred. What is the Tsuchikage thinking?_'

She liked the hairstyle the woman had given her. The once long white tresses were now shoulder-length and spiking up all-over the place and bangs that split to both sides helped hide her eyes, shadowing them. Somehow it made her more secure, knowing that though she could see her opponent's eyes, they couldn't see hers.

Akira stuffed another pocky stick into her mouth.

_Uh! What's wrong with me? Even pocky, my glorious pocky doesn't help! _

She tossed the empty paper box at the ground. Only after it hit did she hear the rustling of leaves behind her. Not keen on what she would find when she did, she turned her head. Two, clearly ANBU, clearly foreign ANBU stood behind her, one grasping a tanto, the other with his fingers pointed at her neck.

Uh-oh.

When she felt fingers stab the back of her neck, there were three things she managed to comprehend before darkness took over.

They were taking her away. Why? She didn't know. Where? She didn't know. But it was _away from Deidara _and that was the only thing that mattered.

…

**Well, there it is. It just popped into my head a few days ago and wouldn't go away until I wrote it. **

**Hope you like it, and if there's any confusion PM me, or ask in a REVIEW!**

**I'm also working on a fan art of Akira, so it should be available on my profile soon.**

**REVIEW!**

**-Shadow-chan ^_^**


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